Monsoon in the Dry Season?

It has been several months since it has really "rained" in Phnom Penh, though there have been a few spells of drizzle. That's how it's supposed to be. Cambodia is in the middle of the November to May dry season, where it gets progressively drier and progressively hotter. But last night something strange happened. The Phnom Penh sky darkened at an usually premature hour. The wind picked up speed and it brought with it the incredibly strong scent of rain. Never before did I think that rain could have such a distinctive smell.

At just after 6:00pm, the sky was pitch black and the wind was howling. As it started to rain, I stood on our terrace in both amazement and pleasure, splashing around in the small puddles that were forming like a five year old in galoshes discovering the joy of puddles for the first time. To not have rain for so long and then to have it all of a sudden - and unexpectedly - was surprisingly wonderful. A half hour later and the deafening roar of rain was drowning out all other sound as Shanti and I made dinner. It was so loud that I turned our music off because neither of us could hear it anyway.

Before sitting down to eat, we brought a plate of fruit down to His Excellency's family. His son-in-law, who is incredibly well-traveled and intelligent, yet quite humble, greeted us with his surprise over the rain. "This never happens," he said. "I guess global warming is coming to Cambodia..."